ENGLISH CANADA

Bravo! (CTVglobemedia)
AMA: 45,800 (P2+)

A television destination for people who love the arts, whether in the form of classic opera, documentary, a concert hall performance or cutting-edge film. Bravo! is available in more than 6.7 million Canadian homes and caters to adults 25 to 54, with a female skew. Future finances and health are among their primary concerns, therefore they’re more likely to eat healthier foods and have investments.

New for fall: Great Canadian Bio-Series, Photo Xplorers, White Collar

Discovery (CTVgm)
AMA: 72,300 (P2+)

Ranked first among English-language specialty channels for overall quality of programming for eight consecutive years by Roper Reports Canada, Discovery offers in-depth scientific programming, from animals to the animalistic side of humanity, from the sea to space, and the latest in innovation.

Buzz: Terry Chang, VP, investment director for MediaVest Worldwide, calls Discovery (along with fellow CTVgm properties TSN and RDS) one of the ‘anomalies’ of the specialty world, with some of its shows attracting audiences similar to those found on conventional TV.

New for fall: Junk Raiders

Family Channel (Astral Media)
AMA: 95,600 (2+), 42,500 (8-14), 25,000 (12-17)

Family Channel reaches 5.8 million homes across Canada, with the hard-to-reach tween demo (8-14) comprising its primary audience. It is also a leader among teens 12 to 17.

New for fall: Aaron Stone, Overruled!

Food Network (Canwest)
AMA: 44,000 (2+), 24,400 (A25-54), 13,200 (W25-54)

Canada’s leading destination for food-related programming, Food Network reaches more than 5.8 million households and caters to adults 25 to 54, skewing 54% female. Viewers are well educated, with an average household income of more than $80,000. Most are young couples with children (approximately 27% with kids under 12) and lead convenience-oriented lifestyles.

Buzz: Food’s AMA places it among the top 10 specialty channels for adults 25 to 54, and seventh against women 25 to 54. It also grew 6% against adults 25 to 54 and 11% against adults 18 to 49 last season. Susan Dioszeghy, SVP, western region media director for M2 Universal in Calgary, says the channel is also attracting male viewers who are watching with their spouse or significant other.

New for fall: Chopped, Top Chef Masters, The Supersizers Go

HGTV (Canwest)
AMA: 56,100 (2+), 29,000 (A25-54), 19,300 (W25-54)

From décor to real estate to renos, HGTV is a leader in home-related TV. Catering to adults 25 to 54, skewing 67% female, viewers are loyal, with adults watching 92.2 minutes per week. They’re also well educated, have an average household income of more than $80,000, and live in either urban or suburban areas. The HGTV audience enjoys entertaining at home and typically watches three-plus hours of TV a day.

Buzz: HGTV is currently the second-ranked channel among women 25 to 54, with viewership in this segment increasing 9% over winter/spring 2008. Along with Food Network, buyers consider HGTV a leader in product integration. MediaVest’s Chang adds that HGTV is one of the leaders in ‘competition’ shows, a hot genre right now.

New for fall: Holmes Inspection, Realtor vs. Realtor

History Television (Canwest)
AMA: 79,800 (2+), 40,200 (A25-54) 14,700 (W25-54)

Available in seven million Canadian homes, History specializes in dramas, movies, living history series and docs about the people and events that have shaped our world.

Buzz: Already the second-ranked specialty against adults 25 to 54 (its audience in this demo grew 53% last season), History is now growing its audience in other key demos. Blockbuster films and living history series such as Ice Road Truckers have helped attract female viewers (who found the channel themselves, not as a result of co-viewing). It is now the number four-ranked channel for women 25 to 54, with AMA growth of 66% last season.

‘History Canada has successfully made history sexy,’ says Chang, citing the addition of blockbuster movies and miniseries like HBO’s Rome. ‘The old History was about World War I and World War II, but they’ve really gone beyond that to provide an interesting, fascinating and exciting offering.’

New for fall: Expedition Africa, Generation Kill, Life After People: The Series

MTV Canada (CTVgm)
AMA: 12,200 (P2+)

MTV Canada reaches Canadians through an analog channel available in more than 6.3 million homes and the website MTV.ca. It has a commitment to 71% Cancon in primetime, and its primary audience is 12 to 34.

Buzz: According to Chang, MTV boasts not only a full slate of ‘amazing’ reality programming, but is also adept at using U.S. shows as a springboard for quality Canadian content – best exemplified by The Hills and its Canadian cousin The Hills After Show. ‘They have done a great job of leveraging the U.S. assets and taking them to the next level,’ he says.

New for fall: The Buried Life, Over the Bolts, Disaster Date

MuchMusic (CTVgm)
AMA: 22,100 (P2+)

Broadcasting since 1984 and available in more than 8.2 million Canadian households, MuchMusic is a leading destination for teens and young adults, and its audience of 12- to 34-year-olds are avid consumers and early adopters. Its associated web property, Muchmusic.com, delivers music videos and user-generated content.

Buzz: M2’s Dioszeghy describes MuchMusic as a ‘definite no-brainer’ for reaching youth, however, she cautions that the creative message must be tailored to a younger demo. ‘They’re quite different from the Much we used to know,’ says MediaVest’s Chang. ‘They’ve really changed the whole format and are running a lot of reality shows.’

New for fall: Making His Band, Starmaker

Rogers Sportsnet (Rogers Media)
AMA: 64,500 (2+), 21,000 (M18-49), 31,000 (A25-54)

Rogers Sportsnet offers four HD and analog services: Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet West and Sportsnet Pacific. It televises nearly 200 NHL regular-season games (more than any other Canadian broadcaster), and more than 100 Toronto Blue Jays games. It also broadcasts 250 regular-season MLB games, plus the playoffs. Additional sports coverage includes Sunday NFL games and English Premier League soccer. Its primary audience is men 18 to 49.

Buzz: Sportsnet’s ability to reach elusive male viewers has been enhanced by improvements to Sportsnet.ca, which is now WAP-enabled for devices like the iPhone and BlackBerry. The broadcaster is also utilizing social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to expand its target audience.

New for fall: NFL

Showcase (Canwest)
AMA: 47,800 (2+), 27,000 (A25-54)

Reaching more than seven million households, Showcase is the home for breakout cable dramas, big-ticket movies and popular network series. Its viewers are well educated, with an average household income between $75,000 and $100,000.

Buzz: Showcase ranks in the top 10 specialty channels among adults 25 to 54, and saw ratings among women 25 to 54 increase by a whopping 31% this year. A major brand overhaul for Showcase and sister channels Showcase Action (which will be known simply as Action) and Showcase Diva debuts Aug. 31. The relaunch includes a new logo and revamped on-air elements.

‘It’s always been a premiere brand… but we saw a time and opportunity to refresh,’ said Barbara Williams, Canwest Broadcasting’s EVP of content, at the broadcaster’s fall preview last month.

‘Showcase is starting to get an HBO feel to it,’ adds MediaVest’s Chang, who praises the addition of shows like Damages. ‘They’re really cleaning up their act and investing in quality shows.’

New for fall: The Foundation, Crash & Burn

Slice (Canwest)
AMA: 21,300(2+), 9,600 (W18-49), 13,800 (A18-49), 12,800 (A25-54)

Adults 18 to 49 comprise more than 70% of Slice’s audience, and the net also has a strong female skew (75%). Its sweet spot is the thirtysomething woman balancing family, work and a social life. Thirty-one percent of Slice’s viewing audience have children under 12, while 39% have a household income of $80,000 or more.

Buzz: In spring 2009, Slice achieved an 18% increase in average-minute audience for adults 25 to 54 and a 20% increase against women 25 to 54 versus the previous year. It is currently the fifth-ranked network against women 18 to 34, and in the top 10 analog specialty channels for women 18 to 49.

New for fall: Real Housewives of New Jersey,

X-Weighted: Families

Space (CTVgm)
AMA: 47,300 (P2+)

Available in more than 6.7 million Canadian homes, Space is the home of sci-fi, speculation and fantasy. Viewers are primarily 25 to 54, with a post-secondary education and a fondness for home entertainment equipment. They are particularly likely to purchase DVDs, CDs and video games, as well as use features on mobile devices.

Buzz: Chang says Space is a channel to keep an eye on, particularly as sci-fi moves beyond its stereotype as a domain for geeks and social misfits – a transformation underscored by the recent rebranding of the U.S. Sci-Fi Channel as Syfy. ‘Sci-fi is no longer just for the geeky guy,’ says Chang. ‘It’s you, it’s me. For me that’s the exciting part.’

New for fall: Sanctuary, Stargate Universe

Teletoon (Astral/Corus Entertainment)
AMA: 33,300 (P2-11), 18,400 (A18-49)

Where cartoons live. Available in more than 7.7 million Canadian homes, Teletoon offers animated entertainment for kids, youth and adults. Its programming is also available online at Teletoon.com, as well as on-demand, mobile TV and through iTunes.

Buzz: Teletoon is a premiere destination for young males, with boys comprising 67% of its total 2 to 11 audience. ‘They’re very strong against both boys and the youth demo,’ says ZenithOptimedia’s Ng. Its broadcast offering is complemented by Teletoon.com, which offers customized promotions and branded web games. The site received about 1.5 million visits in the most recent measured month. Chang describes Teletoon as a channel to ‘watch out for,’ particularly as it ventures further into program integration.

New for fall: Majority Rules, The Super Hero Squad Show

TSN (CTVgm)
AMA: 116,400 (P2+)

TSN is Canada’s first and biggest sports channel, featuring live sports as well as commentary, news and highlights. Its primary audience is educated, affluent, passionate male sports fans aged 25 to 54.

Buzz: M2’s Dioszeghy says TSN has done a superb job of branding itself as a ‘go-to’ destination for male sports fans, while its website TSN.ca complements the broadcast entity with video highlights, real-time updates, analysis, discussion boards and fantasy leagues. Chang says TSN is in ‘a league of its own’ with top-flight programming (including a growing roster of NHL games). ‘They were the ESPN of Canada, now they’re ESPN in overdrive,’ he says.

New for fall: Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, NHL on TSN

W Network (Corus)
AMA: 56,000 (2+), 21,000 (W25-54), 19,000 (W18-49), 8,000 (W18-34)

Averaging more than 10 million viewers a month,

W Network delivers lifestyle shows offering helpful tips and advice, as well as popular series and Hollywood hit movies. It targets women 25 to 54 with programming that reflects a desire to relax, laugh and learn.

New for fall: Eat Yourself Sexy, Big Voice

YTV (Corus)
AMA: 64,000 (2+), 28,000 (P2-11)

YTV is seen in over 10 million homes and connects with 2.2 million kids per month. Its targeted programming includes after-school block The Zone, Saturday morning cartoon block Crunch, Sunday movie block ZAPX and the weeknight comedy block. Its primary audience is kids 6 to 11, while families (adults 18 to 49 with kids 2 to 11) are its secondary audience.

Buzz: Buyers laud its extensive audience knowledge, courtesy of proprietary market research including the annual YTV Observer (previously known as the YTV Tween Report), an in-house trend team, and YTV.com web polls and surveys.

According to MediaVest’s Chang, youth-oriented channels typically fall into two camps: those catering to ‘mommy’s kid’ audiences, and those attempting to woo older audiences with edgier programming. ‘YTV is doing a great job on the wholesome level, and also trying to edge it up a little bit,’ he says.

New for fall: Penguins of Madagascar, That’s So Weird!

FRENCH CANADA

Canal Vie (Astral)
AMA: 39,100 (P2+), 11,600 (F25-54)

Available in nearly 2.2 million homes, Canal Vie is the French-language equivalent to the former Life (now Slice) channel. It caters to women 25 to 54, with programs serving up health, psychology, cooking and decorating intel.

Buzz: While French specialty channels have traditionally built their skeds around imported programs, Canal Vie is introducing five new homegrown shows this fall.

‘Programming is very important in Quebec, says Carol-Ann Kairns, associate GM for Montreal media agency BCP. ‘You produce programming, you get the audiences.’ Kairns expects this tactic to speed up the emerging trend of daytime viewing shifting from conventional networks to specialty channels.

New for fall: Cuisinez comme Louis, Le mariage des meubles, Chéri, choisis!

RDS (CTVgm)
AMA: 78,900 (P2+)

Carried in more than 2.5 million homes, RDS is the go-to for Quebec sports fans. The sole broadcaster of Montreal Canadiens games, it also carries a full slate of tennis, CFL and PGA action.

Buzz: RDS is ‘extremely dominant’ in Quebec, says ZenithOptimedia’s Ng, ‘more dominant than TSN is in English Canada.’ Chang says the sports specialty is in ‘a league of its own,’ generating audiences comparable to conventional stations. ‘If you’re a man and you like sports, you either go to an English broadcaster or RDS,’ says Kairns.

New for fall: Besides carrying all 82 Montreal Canadiens games and 30 other NHL games, RDS will also air the 2009 Grey Cup game, the World Junior Hockey Championships and more than 350 hours of the Vancouver Olympics.

VRAK.TV (Astral)
AMA: 32,200 (P2+), 8,700 (T12-17)

With more than 2.5 million subscribers, VRAK.TV is Quebec’s top spot for teen and tween viewing of cartoons, sitcoms and original productions.

Buzz: ‘It’s by far the number one channel against [the teen] demo,’ says Kairns. ‘They really do cater to them.’ In addition to its top teen standing (with an 18% share), VRAK is also the top-ranked net in daytime against girls 12 to 17 (with a 22% share), and is watched an average of 23 hours per week. Kairns is especially keen on VRAK la vie, an original series debuting on Vraktv.com this summer, before moving over to broadcast in the fall. ‘I think it’s going to be very successful,’ she says.

New for fall: VRAK la vie, Les sorciers de Waverly Place

For an extended version of this story, don’t miss the July/August edition of Strategy magazine.